For now, Silva’s and Liam’s trip didn’t have much of an impact. Over the next few days, the friends, especially Cynthia, l, and Rachel fished for information but were soon distracted by the impending opening of the guild house. As the day ca closer there were many small things keeping everyone busy. Making sure they would have enough food, preparing the rchandise, fixing small technical issues with the theatre. Cynthia, l, but also Sun’s Knight and his team were left with almost no room to breathe.
Three days passed in a flash. Finally, the big day had arrived. There was a certain building at the edge of the upper district carrying Dream Avenue’s na. Usually, the area around the building was not that busy but at this day a crowd ford. The first people arrived early in the morning, not minding a four-hour wait just to be the first to enter the sacred halls. These were Dream Avenue’s hardcore fans who had rooted for the guild from the very first second.
“Finally, the guild house is opening!”
“I’m about to see my idols!”
“I once travelled on a horse cart together with Bleary Mirage. I wonder if he still recognizes !”
The fans were chattering excitedly, easily connecting over their favourite topic. So people saw each other for the first ti after only talking online and their friendship imdiately deepened. So groups discussed who their favourite mber of Dream Avenue was, almost coming to blows. All in all, the scene was quite lively.
Ti passed slowly and the crowd kept increasing. Fortunately, after what happened to Silva and Liam, Dream Avenue was already prepared. They had hired professional security who managed the crowd outside. In agreent with the city a part of the street outside has been closed for cars. Since this was handled by a small unit of soldiers no one dared to make trouble.
Within the guild house everyone eating breakfast were looking down on the crowd feeling various emotions. Cynthia was so nervous that she had barely slept and yet she was even livelier than usual. Compared to her, l was rather calm, confident that their preparations were enough. Rachel was filming everything, intending to make a video about the opening. Simultaneously she was talking to a serious, tall woman next to her. This was Sophie Carter, a marketing expert hired by Dream Avenue, who had worked with Rachel in the past.
The others were still eating, trying to stay unaffected. Only Serena was swaying excitedly on her chair. She was quite happy watching all the people celebrating her brother. In her mind this was the level of admiration Liam deserved.
Soon everyone was done, and they left to get ready. Liam and Serena returned to their apartnt, choosing clothes for the day. Under Miss Carter’s suggestion everyone would wear at least one piece of rchandize. Thus, Liam put on a short with Dream Avenue’s logo and a pair of trousers he bought together with Silva. His sister also wore sothing similar.
Afterwards the siblings went down into the lobby. Imdiately, excited cheers ca from outside as people spotted them through the glass doors. A few other guild mbers were already around but Liam was the first mber of Hotpot to arrive causing the fervour outside to reach another level.
“Really, it’s good that we have enough security…”
Liam and Serena didn’t have to wait long as their friends arrived one by one. When he saw Silva, Liam couldn’t help but smile as she wore the skirt he had chosen for her. Finally, all of Hotpot were gathered. They talked among themselves and waited for a while longer, giving more of Dream Avenue’s mbers a chance to arrive.
Cynthia had naturally invited all mbers of Dream Avenue to co today but not everyone was free. So even lived in other cities and decided not to hurry over knowing that the place would be quite crowded anyways. Thus, after a while only about a hundred and twenty mbers of Dream Avenue gathered including the ones who were living in the guild house. Among them were prominent mbers like lodious Edelweiss and Braag but surprisingly Final Fend was absent.
“Ok guys, I think it’s ti. We can’t let the fans wait any longer.”
“Yeah.”
“Ok.”
“Let’s go!”
Cynthia took a deep breath, nodded to her friends, and opened the door. Instantly chaotic screams hit her like a wave. People were calling for Dream Avenue, Hotpot, and more. Especially the core fans were eager for attention even if it was only a smile or a wave of a hand. For a second Cynthia froze in place, overwheld by the scene. But when she felt l’s hand on her shoulder, she gathered her courage and stepped outside.
There was a small stage in front of the building. Cynthia, l, and the rest of the friends climbed it, observing the cheering fans below, taking in the scene. Finally, Cynthia picked up a microphone and began to speak:
“Thank you! Thank you everyone!”
“Thank all of you so much!”, said l as well.
The cheers which had just slowed down imdiately picked up again. The fans could tell how deeply the two guild leaders were touched and only beca even more eager to support them.
“It is our honour to have so many of you here today! You are making one of our biggest dreams co true. Thank you for supporting Dream Avenue!”
“Dream Avenue has only existed for such a short ti, but we are very grateful to have already ford such a great community.”
Cynthai and l alternated as they delivered a brief speech to thank their fans and everyone else who supported Dream Avenue on their path. Finally, when so people were already becoming slightly impatient, the two guild leaders finished. Together with their friends they left the stage and approached a red ribbon which was symbolically placed nearby. Under the watch of a few journalists and hundreds of fans Cynthia and l raised a sword modelled after an in-ga item and used the sharp blade to cut through the red ribbon.
Loud cheers ca from all sides and the friends smiled proudly while countless pictures were taken.
Afterwards they went back inside, coming to an area which had been specially prepared for a et and greet with the fans.
Dominic was quite exhilarated. For him it was a novel experience eting so many fans. Finally, he could hold his head high in front of his old college buddies who at the very beginning refused to believe that he was Radiant Shield, doubting his accomplishnts. However, while Dominic stood straight and with a chest brimming with pride, he noticed Quiana’s and Adrian’s slumping shoulders and couldn’t help but say:
“Guys, what’s with the long faces? We are seeing our fans today! Shouldn’t you be excited?”
“We are, we are...”, murmured Quiana although her voice didn’t sound convincing. Adrian let out a light laugh looking at Dominic:
“It’s good to be excited. You should savour the feeling as long as you still can.”
“What do you an by that?”, asked Kel from the side.
“What I an is that dealing with fans can be insanely exhausting.”
“It can’t be that bad, right? Rachel, what do you think?”
“Adrian’s not wrong. But it can also be gratifying. However, today we will do an hour-long et and greet. It will definitely be exhausting. If you can remain positive throughout all of it, well, keep it up!”
Dominic and Kel looked at each other, not quite sure what to expect. However, they would see soon, as at this mont the security stepped aside and allowed the first batch of fans to enter. Their excited chatter imdiately echoed through the entire floor. They sward into the experience centre and started exploring everything.
So fans directly rushed towards the et and greet area, eager to be the first to talk to their idols. Others headed for the rchandize shop, afraid that it would run out of stock if they waited too long.
“Limited edition?!”
A surprised shout suddenly drew the attention of everyone around. Even so of the people heading for the et and greet area turned around on the spot and rushed towards the shop.
In order to celebrate the day, Dream Avenue had prepared limited edition rch which would only be available today and never again. Everyone was only allowed to buy two pieces at most. It was a simple but extrely effective marketing trick. The rchandize shop was imdiately overrun, the staff barely able to keep up with the custors. Word quickly spread that before you did everything else you had to go to the rchandize shop first. After all, if you t others in the future and didn’t have all the limited-edition rch, could you even call yourself a real fan?
The situation at the rchandize store was quite stressful for the workers, so of whom ca from Liam’s old community. But luckily, they had an experienced manager who handled everything calmly. After the manager reassured everyone that they had enough limited-edition rch in stock the situation cald down and the fans gradually began to scatter and explore elsewhere.
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